Thrown
This article is about the unit ability labeled "Thrown" in the game. For the specifications of the attack executed by this ability, see Thrown Attack. Thrown is one of the many Unit Abilities available in Master of Magic. With this ability, a unit making a voluntary Melee Attack starts this attack with a barrage of thrown weapons, predominantly axes, lobbed at the enemy from some distance away before engaging in close combat. This is referred to as a "Thrown Attack". The strength of the Thrown ability is noted after its name (e.g. " "). This indicates the attack's strength, and thus the maximum it can cause (though this is subjected to rolls and the target's rolls). Seven different units in the game possess the Thrown ability by default. 4 of these are Barbarian Normal Units, while the remaining 3 are Heroes. For all seven units, the strength of the Thrown ability improves with Experience Level (and is one of the only Unit Abilities to do so!). There is no way to add the Thrown ability to a unit that does not already possess it. However, it is quite possible to improve the strength of this ability by several means for units that do possess it, particularly for the three Heroes. Description While there are many units that can perform a Ranged Attack to try and damage their enemies from a long distance, some units prefer to lob heavier projectiles at the enemy from a significantly closer range. Throwing axes and spears are preferred weapons for such an attack, but all must be unleashed at a relatively close range. The unit will lob its thrown weapons at the target just prior to charging it with hand-to-hand weapons, counting on the initial damage from the thrown attack to weaken the target. Effect Thrown is automatically used whenever the unit voluntarily makes a Melee Attack against any opponent. Before the unit commences its actual attack, it will unleash a Thrown Attack delivering a certain amount of non-magical damage. This is carried out in a similar fashion to a regular attack. The Throwing unit makes a number of rolls equal to the strength of the Thrown ability. The target then gets to make rolls to try and block some of this incoming damage. As a , this occurs before any other exchange of damage or other attacks between the unit and its target. It precedes Gaze Attacks, Touch Attacks and any exchange of actual Melee Damage. As a result, any in the enemy unit that is killed by the Thrown Attack does not get to retaliate at all - it is already dead by the time its unit begins the retaliation (that is, if the unit survived at all). This confers a great deal of protection to the Throwing unit: if it can kill a large number of enemy s (or all of them) with the Thrown Attack, the target can return very little damage at it. All Thrown Attacks deliver regular combat damage, similar to Melee Damage. As a non-magical attack, it cannot be blocked by Magic Immunity. Thrown Attacks don't even trigger Weapon Immunity. Large Shield is the only Unit Ability that grants some protection by increasing defense by . Note that Thrown is not used when the unit is Counter Attacking to an enemy assault. It only works when the unit makes a voluntary Melee Attack against an enemy. Also note that Thrown allows a ground unit to initiate Melee Attacks against . Units with a Default Thrown Attack There are no less than 7 units in the game that possess the Thrown ability. 4 are Normal Units produced by the Barbarians. The other 3 are Heroes. Barbarian Spearmen - Barbarian Swordsmen - Barbarian Cavalry - Berserkers - Bahgtru the Orc Warrior - Gunther the Barbarian - Shalla the Amazon - The ability strengths listed above indicate the unit's initial Thrown strength only. For all these units, Experience will gradually improve the strength of the attack. The 3 Heroes can also equip items that improve it, and many additional effects may also increase the strength of the Thrown ability as explained below. Acquiring Thrown There is no known method of adding the Thrown ability to any unit that does not already possess it. The 7 units listed above are the only units that will ever possess Thrown. Improving Thrown A unit's Thrown ability can be improved in many different ways, some transient and others permanent. In this regard, the Thrown ability is much more similar to basic unit attributes (like Melee Attack or Resistance) than it is to other Unit Abilities. Experience First and foremost, the strength of a unit's Thrown ability will improve as the unit gains Experience. It is one of the only Unit Abilities in the game that does so. For the four Normal Units listed above, the Thrown ability improves at a rate of +1 per every 2 levels - which means +1 at ("Regular"), +2 at ("Elite"), and +3 at ("Champion"). For the Heroes, the Thrown ability improves by +1 per every . Magical Weapons Normal Units equipped with or receive a bonus of +1 or +2 (respectively) to their Thrown ability, if they have it. bonuses from such weapons (and also from ) do not apply to the unit's Thrown Attack, unless the unofficial 1.40 patch or higher is used. For Heroes, an Axe or Jewelry with Attack Strength bonuses will apply those bonuses to both the Hero's Melee Attack and to their Thrown ability, if they possess one. This makes Axes the preferred weapon of any Hero who possesses this ability. Note that bonuses on such an Axe or Jewelry do not apply to the Hero's Thrown Attack, unless the unofficial 1.40 patch or higher is used. Offensive Item Powers (such as Flaming) do apply to Thrown Attack if used on an Axe. Hero Abilities The Might ability does not increase the strength of a Hero's own Thrown ability (if he/she has one at all). However, the Leadership ability does help - increasing not only the Hero's Thrown ability, but also the Thrown ability of any unit accompanying this Hero into battle. With the "standard" version of Leadership, the bonus is exactly and applies once the Hero reaches ("Lord"). It does not improve beyond . With Super Leadership, the bonus is when the Hero reaches ("Commander") and when the Hero reaches ("Superhero"). bonuses from the Blademaster ability (or its Super version) and Lucky apply to the Hero's Thrown Attack. Other Magical Effects There are many spells in the game that can be used to augment a unit's Thrown ability, increasing its strength. The list below is probably missing a few such effects, but is at least mostly complete. Hurting an Enemy's Thrown There are several spells available in the game that can reduce the strength of an enemy's Thrown ability, thus reducing the danger from that enemy unit. The list below may or may not be complete. Spells and Abilities affecting Thrown attacks won't profit from the bonus of and Holy Weapons, neither will they trigger Weapon Immunity (both in contrast to ). Strangely, Eldritch Weapon will affect but not attacks, whereas it is the opposite behaviour in case of and Holy Weapons. Axe and Jewelry will both improve , but won't affect Thrown's . If a Hero with wears an Axe granting certain Touch Attacks (as Death, Stoning, Life Steal, Dispel Evil or Destruction), then this Touch Attack will be executed both in Thrown and Melee Phase. Category:Abilities